


Turning Our Nightmares into Hope

by SunsetEmber



Category: Little Nightmares (Video Game)
Genre: Amnesia, Cannibalism, Child Abuse, Dark Fantasy, Dark Magic, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Harm to Children, Hide and Seek, Lies, Memory Alteration, Memory Loss, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Scheming, Trust, Trust Issues, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-02-23 01:15:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23470081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunsetEmber/pseuds/SunsetEmber
Summary: What could have happened if Six had woken up before the Runaway Kid was taken away....?A bargain between Six and the Runaway Kid results in the two working together to escape the hellish place that confines them.The two children must outsmart outstanding foes using their wits, solve puzzles to escape traps, and silently sneak everywhere.Because there are enemies all over The Maw.Deadly enemies.While trying to escape, the two must learn to trust each other if they hope to escape alive.The Maw is a nightmare place, but still, there is hope....
Relationships: The Runaway Kid & Six (Little Nightmares), The Runaway Kid/Six (Little Nightmares)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 79





	1. The Untruthful Deal

**Author's Note:**

> Welp! This is the first story that I am attempting!  
> I hope it all turns out alright!  
> Tell me your thoughts in the comments.

_'Its really smelly down here.'_  
The little boy thought to himself as he swam through the murky water.

It was like an underwater kingdom in the depths of this huge ship. With its various sunken treasures of different objects, it would have been cool to explore.

If not for the wretched smell. The smell of rotting wood, and soggy clothing....and an unknown smell, all mingled together, created this wretched stink. What the unknown smell was, that contributed greatly to this stink, the boy didn't know. The strong smell gave him an eerie feeling though. It was this eerie feeling that prompted him not to remain in one place.

The boy continued to swim through the water. His dark midnight hair, along with his clothing was soaked. If he remained in the water any longer, he was in risk of getting sick.

How long had he been swimming? 10 minutes? 20 minutes? He wasn't certain.

Nevertheless, the boy had to find something to rest upon.  
No matter how far he looked though, he couldn't find any high flooring.

Then, as if in answer, he spotted a large object floating in the water.

It was a suitcase. A large suitcase at that. And when he meant large, he meant a suitcase so large, it was bigger than him.

Well, that would do. It was something to rest upon at the very least. Then began the aching in his muscles that had him swimming with all the strength he had left to reach that suitcase.

As the boy made for the suitcase.....there was a disturbance in the water.

Surprised, the boy looked around him for the source of the disturbance. Halting his previous goal, to float in the water.

He whipped his head around frantically, as fear began to drip into his senses. It was as if something large beneath the water, had caused ripples on the surface. The whole eeriness of this place was bad enough to scare him. He didn't need this to make matters worst.

A few moments of silence followed, save for the heavy breaths of the little boy.  
Perhaps......it was a trick of his mind.

Then something nudged his feet. The kid let out a yell of shock, beginning to swim for the-

He was pulled beneath the water.

Panic seeped through him. Something- Someone was gripping his leg!

He looked beneath him, to see whatever was pulling him downwards. His eyes widened in fear, and it took all his effort not to scream, as he took in the vague appearance of a....a haggard, old Granny!

Thoroughly panicked, the boy struggled against the Grannys strong grip. His arms swimming against her. His free leg tried to kick the way-too-large hand off his other leg. Horror filled him as the boy realized that his efforts were in vain, as he was pulled downwards. The boy frailed about, his aching body too weak against this....this monster!

He was helpless- utterly helpless! As he was pulled into the dark depths, his oxygen growing thin!

He screamed-

* * *

With a startling gasp, the Runaway Kid awoke.

He looked around for that vile monster, that old haggard-

The Runaway Kid wasn't in the water. Doing a double-take, he realized he was in a cage. Looking around, he could see that he was surrounded by other cages. Some had children in them. Just like him.

Oh. Now it was coming back to the him. The boy sighed. That same nightmare again. He's been having that same nightmare a lot more often these days. Though, every time he had the nightmare, the more the details became clearer.

The Kid, seated against the wall of the cage, crossed his arms on his knees. Calming his raging heart and breath, the boy began to recall the previous events, which led to his current position.

That's right.....he had killed the Granny. If that haggard creature could be considered a Granny at all, that is. With that ability that allowed her to live beneath the water, the boy questioned if she was even human.

The Runaway Kid had to admit, perhaps the whole electrocution was a bit too much.....Nah. That monster had it coming. If it hadn't been him, surely another kid would have done it. He had done other runaway kids a favor, if they ever fell into the Depths of The Maw.

The Maw was a nightmare place. Especially for the children raised here. Various children whom had been collected over the years through various ways.

The Runaway Kid was unsure of how he ended up here, but he knew he didn't belong.

The Janitor tried to convince him, and the other uneasy children of the Nursery otherwise. The Janitor fed the children lies to do so. All that self-righteous teachings of children having a vital role in The Maw. How when they were deemed 'ready', they would be 'chosen' to uphold their duties. How it was such a 'privilege' to even be here in The Maw, for The Lady to choose them, and all those other gibberish teachings the Janitor would say to them.

Yeah, it was all lies.

_'Did the Janitor honestly expect the children to believe that rubbish?!'_

Well......some did. Majority didn't. The Runaway Kid pitied that minority who believed it. Those 'ignorant children' who believed the lies just to assure themselves everything would be alright.

However, there were those kids who weren't fools, and knew that The Maw was a dangerous place. The 'runaway kids', as he dubbed them. And what he had now become. The runaway kids were those who actually attempted to leave the Nursery, before being chosen. Cause as far as any of the children were concerned, the kids which the Janitor 'chose', were never heard of again.

The Runaway Kid believed it was, three weeks ago?, perhaps four, (hard to tell the time within The Maw when it was scarce to see sunlight) when he tried his first escape. And discovered what truly happened to those kids that had been 'chosen'.

His first experience in the kitchen area. And seeing those ugly chefs. (Definitely not a experience he likes remembering)  
And the Runaway Kid would have escaped, if that blasted Janitor hadn't caught him. Now the kid understood why he had such long, noodley arms.

Another thing the Runaway Kid understood was how the Janitor 'chose' the kids to uphold their duties. He simply waited till they were older, and had enough fat on their bones.

_'That sick being!'_

His first time being caught, the Janitor, whom the Kid found out his name was Roger, just brought him back to the Nursery.  
Warning the Kid to not say a word of what he saw in the kitchen.

Of course, the Runaway Kid didnt listen.

It was the Runaway Kid, who had warned the other children in the Nursery of what really occurred in The Maw. Of the fate that awaited them, if they all remained. The dark secret of what happened to those who were chosen.

Some children believed him, while others didn't. However, the number of kids that disappeared soon after, says that a good number believed it. The Janitor was so angry at the number that disappeared. A rare emotion anyone sees him displaying.

He had to admit though, Roger was quite skilled at catching those kids.

Since his first escape, the other children had dubbed him with the name 'the Runaway Kid'. Although, he preferred to use it as a term for all the kids who attempted to escape. Besides, he was sure he had a name.....although he couldn't remember it.

There were rumors of other runaway kids before him, according to some of the Nursery children, but none had ever come back, .

The Runaway Kid didn't want to think about their fates.

The truth that the Runaway Kid had found out on his first escape attempt, only confirmed the eerie feeling the boy felt every single day on this ship. It was this final piece of information that got him to act again.  
And again.  
And again.

The Runaway Kid had attempted escape six times already. All those times being caught by that blasted Janitor.

This being his seventh attempt.

While his first six attempts were mostly around the Janitors quarters and the kitchen area, learning the surroundings more (and observing those two ugly chefs, to his digust), his seventh attempt led him to the Depths.

To the Granny.

Then right back to the Janitor again.

Sighing once more, The Runaway Kid looked around the cage again. Searching for a means to escape.

He had to admit, Roger had caught him by surprise. The Runaway Kid hadn't expected him to be at the top of that long ladder. That long-armed monster still kinda frightened him. Ever since his first encounter with him, he never could get use to his noodley-long arms. The Janitor was blind. This was a common fact in the Nursery. However, his long arm span, and keen hearing, along with stronger than normal sense of smell, made him deadly.

The boy clenched his eyes, remembering how he ended up here.

The Kid wasn't surprised that the Janitor was fed up with his escape attempts, and had thrown him into a cage.

* * *

"You have played on my nerves for the last time boy. Ever since your first attempt at escaping, lots of children have been disappearing. I don't think that's a coincidence." The Janitor growled, as he grasped the Runaway Kid in his hand. He had just captured him from escaping the Depths.

"Well, gee, I wonder why Roger?" The Runaway Kid sneered at him. The Kid was proud that none of the fear in him was sounded in his voice.

The Janitor grasped him tightly in warning. "Watch it boy. Don't you see that you're drawing them away from their purpose?"

"You mean being served on a platter?" The Kid countered.

"Still a purpose nonetheless." There. He had finally admitted the dark truth. "The Maw must survive. No matter the cost." The Janitor stated firmly.

The Runaway Kid would have retorted if he hadn't realized that they weren't heading back to the Nursery.

"Where are you taking me?!" Shouted the Kid.

The Janitor only sneered at him.

Looking up at his face, the Runaway Kid recalled how he always found his squished face distasteful. Children often thought it was bandages covering the Janitors face. This is was actually not the case. The Janitors skin on his face actually collapsed, forming folds and looking like bandages. Causing his blindness. Whatever happened to the Janitor for this to happen, the Runaway Kid didn't know.

"Don't you recall my words. I said that you've played on my nerves for the 'last' time."

The Runaway Kid started to recognize the grey, dirty walls that they travelled through.

_'No....'_

_'No!'_

"Yo-You wouldn't!" The Kid yelled. The fear within him started to multiply tenfold.

"Oh yes I would." The Janitor grinned at him maliciously.

"I-I don't even ha-have enough meat on my- I'm still too young-"

"I no longer care for that."

The Runaway Kid wanted to scream. And that he did.

"You can't! You monster! You can't do this!!" The Kid screamed at the Janitor. He thrashed around, pounding his fists on the Janitors tight grip. "You can't!! Not to me! Monster! Monster!!"

The Janitor only chuckled at him. It was a dark chuckle that sent shivers down his spine. As the Runaway Kid continued to struggle to no avail, thousands of thoughts pumped through his mind.

No! He had to survive!! He couldn't let it end here! He had so much to discover! So much he wanted to find out! The outside world, his memories, perhaps even find out where he came from!

He couldn't die here! Not on this dark! Twisted! Ship!!

Yet as the Janitor threw him into a cage, the Runaway Kid couldn't help but curl himself into a ball.

His cheeks damp, and not because of the swim from The Depths.

* * *

And that led him to his current predicament.

Finding a way to escape. The Runaway Kid scratched his hair frustratingly. How the hell was he supposed to escape from a cage?!

He shivered a bit. His clothes were still wet from his swim in The Depths. However, wet clothes were the least of his problems. With every passing second, he was closer to being roasted in glaze. Or however those wretched chefs decided to cook him.

The Runaway Kid had to slap the fear out of him.

 _'Concentrate.'_ He wasn't gonna get out like this. _'Now....perhaps the cage had a lock?'_

Just as he was going to investigate, a screeching sound reached his ears. As though, iron was scraping against iron.

Looking towards the source, the Kid found another child pushing its cage off a larger cage t'was settled on. The child was hitting its cage back and forth. One distinct trait he could see on this child was the bright yellow coat it wore. It really stood out against the the dark lighting in the room.

After the child shoved its cage again, the Runaway Kid realized it was trying to escape. One more huge push, had the cage falling into the air. The cage hit against the ground, its top grate clattering off, due to the impact.

With no haste at all, the raincoat kid moved to escape.

"Hey!" The Runaway Kid whisper-yelled. The raincoat kid stopped at his voice.

"Hey! Yeah you! With the raincoat!" He whisper-yelled to the person.

The raincoat kid moved closer to his cage, stopping just a few feet away. The raincoat kid had a huge triangular hood which obscured its face. Preventing the Runaway Kid to ascertain its gender.

"What?" A soft voice whispered from a raincoat. It was soft, yet sounded uncaring. It also sounded like a girl. (At least, it did to him)

"Help me out of here. Please." The Runaway Kid begged. Perhaps she could help him. It looked as if though he wouldn't be able to escape this cage without assistance.

"Why should I?" She asked, as she tilted her head to the side. Her uncaring, monotone voice caught him off guard.

The Runaway Kid's eyes widened in shock, and disbelief.

_'Why shouldn't she?! What kind of question was that to ask in this sort of situation?!!'_

Irritation quickly overcame his emotions. The Runaway Kid understood that The Maw was a 'every child for their self' kind of place. Still, he was pleading with her. And she has the nerve to sound as if though it didn't bother her.

"Why? Maybe because I don't want to end up as food, to whoever eats the kids who are chosen!" He hissed at her.

Who was she anyway? He was certain she wasn't from the Nursery. Her voice was not familiar.  
 _'Could she be one of the runaway kids from before him?'_

"Food?" Another voice questions.

Grabbing the attention of both the Runaway Kid and the raincoat kid, the pair looked to another child in a cage.  
"What do you mean 'end up as food'? Aren't- are we not going to carry out the role we've been chosen to do?" A girl sitting within her cage, wearing the usual gray clothes, whispered frighteningly.

The Runaway Kid recognized her to be one of the 'ignorant children'.

He furrowed his brows at her. "And you're stupid enough to actually believe the lies that noodle-arms spouts."

The girls eyes lit with recognition. "You. You're the Runaway Kid."

"And?" He countered.

The girl frowned at him, disapproval showing on her face. "The Janitor warned us not to listen to you. He said that you're trying to lead us away from our purpose."

The Runaway Kid grew more irritated. She was in a cage, and she still stuck to those stupid teachings!  
"Did you ever stop to ask yourself what purpose is that?! What purpose could this wretched ship have for you?!" He wasn't gonna hold back any more.

"Let me tell you. They cook you! Yeah! The Janitor is gonna wrap you up, then he's gonna send your body to a kitchen, for two ugly chefs to cook you up!! That's what your purpose is in this wretched place!! Still wanna stick to it?!" He laid it to her flat. The Runaway Kid was done with these ignorant children and their ignorance. He was done with it. He was gonna get out of here!

A flash of fear went through her eyes, before _ignorance_ took over. "Hmph!" She crossed her arms at him, her nose high in the air. "I will not listen to the lies of an ungrateful brat!"

 _'Brat?! She called him a brat?!!'_ Fine! He was done with her. She could stay here for all he cared!

"Have it your way. And you," The Runaway Kid faced the raincoat kid once more. He looked at her, exasperated. "Please help me! I-"  
The boy racked his brain for how he could convince her.

Desperation tearing at his mind. The girl tilted her head at him. Again. The Runaway Kid fought a shiver that crept up his spine. That was just creepy.

"I-I can-"

"It doesn't matter what you can do." She said before beginning to walk towards the door.

"Wait! You can find me very useful!" The Runaway Kid called after her. There was one thing he could think of to convince her. He had experience in escaping. He knew the layout of the lair and the kitchen. He also knew the enemies they were to face.

"I have experience! You're trying to escape The Maw, right?"

The raincoat kid peered at him slightly.

"I've attempted escaping before, I know the way from here to the kitchen. I also remember a rough layout of the place."  
The raincoat kid kept peering at him. Due to her large hood, the Runaway Kid wasn't sure if she was interested or not.

"I can be very useful to you. Take me with you!" The Runaway Kid begged. He desperately didn't want to die here.  
The raincoat kid gave him another look before facing away from him again.

_'Oh no.'_

"I prefer being on my own. My skills work better when it's just me alone. Bringing someone along would just be burdensome." She said with a monotone voice. The Runaway Kid clenched his teeth. She still wasn't buying.

"I have skills as well! I know how to deter the Janitor, and the Chefs. I know they're strengths and weaknesses! I've escaped the Nursery seven times!" He claimed.

"Considering after those seven escapes you ended up here, I wouldn't say your skills are that skillful." She countered.

The Runaway Kid opened his mouth to retort. Then shut it shortly afterwards.

Okay. She had a point there.

The Kid racked his brain to come up with something, -anything!, to convince her. Okay. Since offering his help didn't work, it was time to try something else. Time to play the vulnerable child!

"I know......Even though I escaped the nursery seven times...." He looked down, his dark locks fanning his face. His arms clenched the iron bars of his cage. "Even though....I still ended up here." He made his voice sound hoarse, and let his shoulders shake as though he were crying.

Which the Runaway Kid wasn't, but with how cold his wet clothes were, his shaking shoulders weren't entirely faked. The Runaway Kid applauded his own convincing acting.

"I didn't want to end up here, you know?" He 'sniffed'. "I tried. I really did try!" He forced his voice to break.

The Runaway Kid didn't want to try look up at her yet. In case it gave him away. But he couldn't hear any leaving footsteps, so that was a plus.

She was listening to him.

"I only wanted to get away from this-this terrible place! So that I can find my home, somewhere out there...." He 'cried.'

"I don't want to die he-!"

"You're not from The Maw? Are you from the world beyond?" She questioned.

The Runaway Kid tried not to look at her in surprise. All of the kids he knew only knew about The Maw. They all didn't know of life beyond this place. They believed there to be The Maw and only The Maw in this world.

The Runaway Kid peered at her from beneath his dark locks. He liked the way he styled his hair, with his dark bangs covering his eyes. The Runaway Kid was still able to see through his bangs, and it gave him a cool, mysterious look.

"Yeah, I'm not from here. You too?" He asked back. The raincoat kid didn't reply and simply stared at him, before moving towards his cage.

"What's the outside world like?" She asked him softly.

The Runaway Kid looked at her, no answers popping in his mind. After all, even though the Kid was sure he was from the outside world, he didn't have any memories of it. Even when the Runaway Kid talked of the outside world in The Nursery, others didn't believe him.

The Janitor had told him that a place which he had no memory of certainly wasn't real. However, the Runaway Kid noticed the fear etched on the Janitors face when he spoke of the outside world. It seemed that he had an unpleasant memory of the world beyond The Maw. The outside world was dangerous. That the Kid could tell from that expression.

However, since the raincoat kid was asking him about it, it seemed to be something she was interested in. There. That was something to use against her.

"Why should I tell you?" The Runaway Kid pointed his nose away from her, as he folded his arms. The raincoat kid didn't say anything for a while but continued to stare at him. It was hard to determine her emotion without seeing her expression. However, with the way she was rubbing her finger on her face, it seemed she was pondering on something.

She was interested!

"Very well then. I'll help you escape this place." She finally stated. The Runaway Kid couldn't stop the joy in his body from spreading. A joyful smile etched on his face.

That is until she went on to say: "On the condition that once we escape The Maw, you'll be my guide in the outside world."

The Runaway Kid tried to not let his face deflate. Oh no. He couldn't become a guide. A guide is someone who is familiar with a certain area. He was certain he couldn't become a guide in world he had no memories of.

But.....

The Runaway Kid thought of his experience in the kitchen, watching those Chefs cook meat, which he knew was the meat of his fellow children. Those numerous body bags he found on the floor. And the blood....

The Runaway Kid clenched his eyes. He didn't want to end up like that. With a bit of guilt plaguing his mind, the Runaway Kid spoke.

"Deal then. You help me escape, we find a way off The Maw, then I'll be your guide in the outside world." The Runaway Kid did a recap of their deal. The raincoat kid nodded in response.

The Runaway Kid tried not to let the guilt leak into his facial expression. After he escaped from here, the Kid would try lose the girl somewhere in The Maw. After all, he lied to her.

He couldn't keep up his end of this untruthful deal.


	2. Silence [& communication] is Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Runaway Kid and Six begin their new escape attempt....but the Janitor's keen hearing will be difficult to evade...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.....over a month later and I finally post something.  
> Readers....I....uhhh....  
> *struggles to find the words*
> 
> You know what? Just go ahead and read.

The raincoat kid looked the cage over. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a lighter. The Runaway Kid tried not to look impressed. With her light, she observed the cage closely.

"Its rather rusty once you get a closer look." She stated, giving a little tap to the door of the cage. "Just like my cage, I'm sure with some force it can open." She stated with the same monotone voice.

 _'Is this her normal speaking voice?'_ The Runaway Kid wondered to himself. "So when you say force......I'm guessing I'll be the one shoving the door." The boy said, getting to his feet.

"And I'll be the one tugging with each shove. If we match our movements, we increase the force." She stated a matter of factually.

The Runaway Kid almost said he knew that. Almost.

"Well. Let's not waste time. The Janitor will be back soon." The boy said as he positioned himself at the far end of the cage. With a nod from the raincoat kid, the Runaway Kid ran into the door. At the same time, she heaved.

The clattering sound filled the room. The two continued this cycle of shoving and pulling. Two times. Four. Six.  
Sometimes he would shove too late, or she'd pull too soon. The Runaway Kid soon entered a frantic pace. The Janitor would be coming back after all, and he didn't want to be among the options of being chosen.

"The Janitor will catch you both." The ignorant girl from before commented. The Runaway Kid ignored her, focused on getting out. Another shove and pull had the cage door almost open.

"Its almost open. One more time should do it." She called.

The Runaway Kid ran and shoved...And the door of the cage swung open.

"Yes!" He cheered. The Runaway Kid stepped out of the cage, the raincoat kid stepping towards him.

"So where do we go to from here?" She asked him.

"Well-"

The two were interrupted by the door of the room opening. Fear instantly flooded their senses. Only one person would enter this room...

"Its the Janitor!" The Runaway Kid screeched silently as he ran for the other end of the room, not looking back to see if the girl followed him or not. However, the girl was smart enough to follow suite. The sound of the door opening covered the soft patter of their footsteps. Thankfully their trip wasn't that far, and they both slipped through a gap in the wall.

At the exact same time, the Janitor entered the cage room.

Through the gap, the two found themselves on a ledge, overlooking a deep misty drop. However, both kids were focused on the Janitor that entered the room. They peered through the gap, watching the Janitors every movement.

"Boy~ Its time for you to make your trip to the Chefs. A suiting end to your annoying existence." The Janitor jeered. The Runaway Kid couldn't keep a proud smirk from appearing on his face.

"Boy?" The Janitor felt for the Runaway Kids previous cage. Feeling it around, and inside the cage.

Finding no Runaway Kid. The Janitor let out a frustrated shriek. "Escaped again?!!" He shouted. The Janitor felt around the room, straining his ears for any sounds. The clicking of his bones resounded whenever he twisted his neck to listen carefully.

As the Janitor came closer to the gap, both kids held their breaths and tensed.

Then he halted right before them.

 _'Go back. Go back. Go back!'_ The Runaway Kid chanted in his mind. The Kid could feel the raincoat kid go rigid beside him. For what seemed like a millennia, he stood right before the gap.

Finally, the Janitor moved away, grumbling to himself.

The two knew not to let out sighs of relief yet. Not when the Janitor was still in hearing range.

"And another kid escaped as well." The Janitor grumbled as he felt the raincoat kids cage. The Janitor continued on, reaching for the cage of the ignorant girl. "I'll find those wretched brats." He grumbled.

The ignorant girl glanced to the pair, eyes locking with the Runaway Kids. He swore he saw fear within those eyes.

The Janitor kept grumbling to himself, how he would 'find that boy', whilst dragging the cage towards the door. He pulled the lever, causing the door to open, and pulled the cage outside. Once outside, the Janitor withdrew his long arm from the lever.

The door shut with a slam. The two made their way out of their hiding spot. The Runaway Kid couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for that ignorant girl. Once those cooks grabbed a hold of her...

The Runaway Kid shivered. _'Don't think about it.'_ He warned himself.

The raincoat kid hesitantly stepped towards the door; her head tilted as she listened for the Janitor. "He won’t be back for a while. Most likely he's wrapping up the children and putting them onto hooks." The Runaway Kid explained.

The raincoat kid glanced from the door to the lever handle hanging from the ceiling. High in the air.

"How are we gonna reach that?" She wondered, though it was more herself than anything.

They apparently both had the same idea as their eyes landed on a small cage with a child inside.

Oh. Now that was kinda cruel. They had to use the cage to reach the lever. With the child still inside the cage. Cause they weren't freeing any other kids.

Time was of the essence.

The raincoat kid glanced at the boy. "Survival." The Runaway Kid shrugged.

Without saying a word, the raincoat kid approached the cage. The Runaway Kid followed, at the same time wondering how he could lose her in The Maw. Though he was sure an opportunity would arise. The Maw was a like complex puzzle. It had a very perplexing system. It was easy to lose ones way. Heck, The Runaway Kid got lost a number of times in The Lair. And the Kid hadn't even explored the whole Maw yet. He would have to someday. So he could find a way to escape.

The raincoat kid peered at the huddled child inside the cage. _'Oh. He's one of the 'lifeless' kids from Nursery.'_ The Runaway Kid noted.

"We're going to use your cage to escape. Bear with us moving you around a bit." The raincoat kid stated to the child, but the child remained quiet.

"Don't bother. These 'lifeless' kids don't respond much to anything." The Runaway Kid huffed.

"Lifeless kids?" She questioned.

"That's what I call them. Cause that's how they act every day in the Nursery. No enthusiasm. Expressionless. They're dull all the time, pretty much lifeless."

It was the lifeless kids that made up majority of the children in the Nursery. These poor children were just living every day in terror. They weren't oblivious to the situation like the 'ignorant children', but they were too frightened to try and do anything. So they basically lived each day waiting for the end to come. The Runaway Kid wasn't sure if he pitted them, or the ignorant children more.

The raincoat kid looked at the huddled boy once more. "You don't have to be afraid forever. Soon, there will be a day when you don't have to worry about the darkness of The Maw. Soon." The raincoat kid whispered to the boy, almost kindly.

The Runaway Kid raised a brow at her. Wondering what she meant by that.

The lifeless kid peeked at the raincoat kid a bit from within the haven of his arms, but still didn't look up. The pair began to pull the cage towards the lever. Now that the Runaway Kid got a closer look, he noticed that the raincoat kid was really scrawny. So much that it nerved him.

_'How can she walk around so smoothly? Why hasn't she collapsed yet? How long had it been since she last ate?!'_

"Umm....How long have you been down here?" The Runaway Kid found himself asking. The raincoat kid paused before answering: "Awhile."

The Runaway Kid tried not to facepalm. 'That doesn't answer my question.' He thought to himself.

Coming to a halt, the Runaway Kid climbed up the cage. He then jumped and grabbed the lever, pulling it downwards with his weight. The iron door lifted with a slight screeching sound. The Runaway Kid pulled it till the door was fully open. The raincoat kid moved towards the exit, as the Runaway Kid jumped down to follow.

Only to find the door closing again in their faces.

The Runaway Kid groaned. Of course the door had a set time to shut. That meant the Kid had to run fast for the door when he let go of the lever.

"So that's the catch." The girl mused.

The Runaway Kid climbed up the cage once more. "Everything just can't be easy, can it?" The Kid grumbled, and jumped for the lever once more.  
The door opened, and the raincoat kid peered up at him. "How can we both get out?" She asked aloud.

The Kid looked up to long rope of the Lever. "I think I have just the solution." He grinned. The Runaway Kid started swinging by the lever. His body moving back and forth with the rope.

The raincoat kids eyes lit with understanding before exiting the room.

She spared a glance at the other caged children. Looking at the their solemn faces. Deprived of hope. The raincoat kid shook her head clear of her thoughts, turning around.

Meanwhile, the Runaway Kid continued to swing, gaining momentum. With each swing he grew closer to the door. He had to wait for the right moment. He had to get this jump right or the door might shut before him.

Or even on him. Definitely not how the Runaway Kid wanted to die. The Runaway Kid swung towards the door once more.

 _'And....Now!'_ The boy let go of the lever, running towards the already closing door. The Runaway Kid ducked through, just as the iron door shut.

_'Phew. Just in a nick of time.'_

The raincoat kid didn't give any praise or concern. Not that the Runaway Kid was expecting it.

He looked around at their new surroundings. They were outside of the cage room, and had entered a dimly lit room. A single lamp lay overhead them. The opposite side of the room was shrouded in darkness.

"The Janitor won't hear all of this noise?" The raincoat kid asked him.

"Don't worry raincoat kid. Once the Janitor starts working on a job, he stays focused." The Runaway Kid reassured her.

Once the Janitor set his mind to something, it was hard to convince him to do anything else. This was especially true when it came to catching runaway kids. The Janitor would stay on them till he caught them all. It only depended on when he decided to start catching them

"Six."

The Runaway Kid looked at her, confused. "What?" He asked.

_'Why did she suddenly say a number? How did that relate to what they were just talking about?'_

"My name isn't 'raincoat kid'. It's Six." She answered firmly.

The Runaway Kid once again tried not to look surprised. _'What was it about this girl and surprising him?'_ "You...You have a name?" The Runaway Kid said in wonder.

"Yes."

Oh right. She probably doesn't know. "In the Nursery," The Runaway Kid explained, "Nobody has names. Not a single one. They don't even know what names are. The only person who I know has a name would be the Janitor." He said distastefully.

"Yet you know about names. Do you have a name?" The raincoat k - Six asked.

"Ye - Umm, well....no? I - uh, see..." The Runaway Kid sputtered as he tried to explain. _'How do I explain that I'm sure I do have a name but don't remember it? She might think I'm delusional.'_

"I do have a name.....but it's more of a title." The Runaway Kid replied, settling to use his nickname. "The children of the Nursery dubbed me with the name 'The Runaway Kid', as you heard from that girl in the cage. Although I prefer to use it as a term for all the runaway kids."

Six tilted her head at him. The Runaway Kid tried not to wince. _'Yikes! Would she stop that?!'_

" 'The Runaway Kid' is a bit of a mouthful." She commented. The boy shrugged in response.

Six took out her lighter. It illuminated a small bubble around her.

 _'My torch has a longer range.'_ The Runaway Kid noted. Not that he was bragging. Of course not.

She continued in the opposite direction of the room, till she came across another shut iron door. How do we get past this?" Inquired Six.

The Runaway Kid observed the door. He grinned.

The place where he had escaped from was The Prison. Or so the Janitor calls it. Makes sense as this is where all the kids are kept captive. The Nursery, cafeteria, and playroom were all located in the Prison.

Currently, they two were located in The Lair. To escape this place, they had to get to a certain room. That room was where the Janitor wrapped up the children. That's the room where they needed to go, as it was their one way ticket to the Kitchen. And to get there, they didn't need to open this door.

"Why are you grinning?" Six asked.

"Because," The Runaway Kid still grinned as he said: "We don't need to go through that door." The Runaway Kid pulled out his torch, and turned it on.

If Six was at all impressed, she did a good job hiding it.

Raising his torch, the Runaway Kid pointed it towards the ceiling. Just as he remembered, there was a hole in the ceiling. Formed by broken wooden floorboards. The light of his torch illuminating it.

Six solved two and two together, as she looked at the iron grilles located on the closed door of the cage room. Iron grilles which they could climb to reach the ceiling. Six was smart. He would give her that much. She said nothing more as she started to climb the iron grilles. Six stopped midway to look down at him.

"You coming?" Six asked, her monotone voice never-changing. The Runaway Kid exhaled as he followed after her. He climbed bar after bar, following after Six.

Reaching the top, the two found themselves in another dimly lit room. But not that dim compared to their previous surroundings, as light poured from an opening in the wall. In the center of the room was a bathtub on an angle. At the corner of the room was a the small slot for them to exit, the light shinning from the room beyond. That was the exit which would lead them to the wrapping room.

"So, how are we going to do escape?" Six questioned him.

"If we go through this slot, we'll reach the wrapping room. All we got to do is get to the hooks, then we can get to the kitchen." He explained, before Six started to go off.

The Runaway Kid grabbed Six's arm before she went on.

"Listen. The Janitor is in the other room next door." The Runaway Kid explained silently. "The next room is where he wraps the children up. He then attaches them up to the hooks, and they go to the kitchen. Remember, follow my every movement and instruction."

Six listened to him silently. Despite their close proximity, the Runaway Kid still couldn't make out her face beneath the hood.

"As you may have already guessed, the Janitor is blind but his keen hearing and long arm span make him deadly. So by all means necessary, stay absolutely _quiet_ ." The Runaway Kid emphasized the last word.

Being quiet was the only way they could avoid the Janitor. So, silence was key. Because if the Janitor caught _him_ again...

Six nodded. That was all the acknowledgement the Kid needed before they they made their way to the slot.

The pair crawled through the slot and landed on a thick material of cloth. The Runaway Kid looked around the brightly lit room. As always, there were cages of children dotted around the room. Sheets of white material were spread out on the wooden floor. The sound of rustling and ripping cloth could be heard.

That was the Janitor.

The Runaway Kid pointed to the connecting room. The two crouched on the floor, the cloth soaking up any sound that their feet caused. To their right, Six spotted another cage of children. They were looking down, slumped on the cage side, and Six could scarcely hear the sound of crying.

The Runaway Kid stopped as they passed through the connecting doorway. Getting a full view of the Janitor. The two watched in silence, still perched on the cloth, as the Janitor approached one of the cages and picked a child out. This child appeared to be older than them, slightly taller. Roger then proceeded to wrap her up with paper.

The Runaway Kid gulped. That could have been him.....and still could be him....

He glanced at a tower of cages they could climb to get to the moving hooks. _'It would be difficult. Well, it's always difficult ,but if they were quick and quiet they could-'_

The Runaway Kid was too busy thinking about getting to the hooks, too busy on the Janitors movements, he didn't notice Six move past him.

Six kept crouching as she crept along, till her foot landed on the floorboard. The Runaway Kid noticed her too late. And remembered he had forgotten to tell Six one crucial detail.

He forgot to tell her not to walk off the sheets of cloth on the floor.  
Cause even the slightest pressure would-

The Kid reached out for her raincoat, but her foot had already landed on the wooden floor.

A slight creak resounded. But it was easily picked up by the Janitors ears.

Fear instantly flooded the pairs senses as the Janitor went still.

* * *

Six had always taken pride in her quietness and quick wits. They were necessary factors in order to survive in The Maw.

Which is why when her foot stepped on the floor, when that slight creak resounded.....she never felt more foolish in her whole life. The Janitor instantly heard the sound, his neck twisted as he attempted to listen more carefully. His tall, large body heading towards them.

Six felt pressure on her back, and then the Runaway Kid was beckoning her towards a cage. To hide, she realized. However, their dashing feet hit the floorboards, and the Janitor immediately reacted.

"Come here you brats!" He shouted as his long arms extended.

They crossed the floorboards onto thick cloth once more. The pair both crouched as they entered the cage. The Janitor hot on their trails.

He felt around the area where he heard their dashing feet. His strained his ears to catch any sound of movement.  
Six jolted when the Janitor grabbed their cage. The Runaway Kid leaned away from his fingers.

The two crouched in the corner of the cage, as the Janitor kept searching the room. He sniffed the air, and grinned maliciously.

"I know you're here you pesky runaway kids~ If you think you can escape from here.....that's some pitiful hope you have." The Janitor snickered. "I'll find you pests. And then you're off to the kitchen boy!" He sneered. The Janitor kept searching for them, go off to the right-hand side of the room.

Six looked at the Runaway Kid. _'He should know a way to get out of here.'_ But when she turned towards him, the Runaway Kid had an irritated flare in his eyes.

Six grimaced in response. He was angry at her, wasn't he? Had she somehow ruined their chance of escape? By giving away that they were here?

Six stopped to think, feeling angry that the Runaway Kid hadn't given her a warning whatsoever. _'He could have at least warned me of the creaky floorboards.'_

Now, Six was feeling rather irritated with the Runaway Kid.

Six contemplated on this deal she had made with him. She was usually a solo worker, so working with someone was......strange, to say the least. _'But, if he knew of the world beyond The Maw-'_

Both simultaneously held their breaths, while the Janitor stomped past their cage. Six waited a few seconds before looking for a solution.

There had to be a way out.

 _'Think Six! Think!'_ Six urged her head. She peered behind her, through the grates of the cage. Another cage was stacked next to theirs, this one also held children. However, what caught Six's attention was the small gap in the far corner of the room.

_'Was that-?'_

Yes. It was another slot. A way out.

Six got the attention of the Runaway Kid, then gestured to the small slot. He looked at her confused, but then understood what she meant. Despite the angry gleam not leaving his eyes, he too moved as they both crept towards the exit of the cage.

The Janitor had gone to the left-hand side of the room, still searching for them.

_'How could they get to the slot without walking on the creaky floor?'_

Six peered upwards at the cage.

They would have to go over the cages.

* * *

To say the Runaway Kid was angry would be an understatement.

He was absolutely fuming.

If the Janitor were not here, he would have yelled at Six. Very, very loudly and very, very harshly. But the Janitor _was_ here, so the Kid hoped that his glare spoke loud and clear for him.

Six jumped and climbed the cage, the Runaway Kid following after her. The Janitor had come back to the center of the room, feeling around for any runaway kids. The two crept on the cages, cloth also spread out upon them, trying to make no sound.

Once again, an intense, suspenseful atmosphere settled around the room. A familiar atmosphere which threatened to squeeze the life out of the boy. He had felt this way when he attempted to sneak about the Janitor. He had also felt this way when he was evading the Granny by jumping from one floating object, to another.

Yet the Runaway Kid still was not accustomed to it. This pressuring atmosphere where his life was in the balance.

As they climbed unto the second cage, the Janitor just had to move closer towards them. The Runaway Kid gulped. If they made the slightest sound, Roger could easily grab them with no effort.

Six nudged him, gaining his attention.  
The pair looked over the edge of the cage, and the Runaway Kid wanted to groan.

The slot, their only possible escape now was located at the far corner of the room. A layer of sheet was placed next to the slot. The problem was that the sheet of cloth didn't reach all the way to the cages they were perched on. The path between was just plain creaky floorboards.

The Runaway Kid wanted to turn towards Six and whisper sarcastically, 'Well what do we do now?'

He might have if Six hadn't jumped off the cage.

The Runaway Kid almost yelled as Six went sailing through the air. She raised her arms, bracing for impact. The Runaway Kid watched with wide eyes as everything seemed to play out before him in slow motion.

_'If Six landed on the floor -!'_

Relief filled the Runaway Kid as Six landed on the sheet. He would have sighed if Roger weren't right next to him. Yeah. Great reminder of the danger that lingered at his side.

Six stood on the cloth, and looked upwards to the Runaway Kid.  
Even though he couldn't see her face, the Runaway Kid could sense she was staring at him with an expectant look. The Runaway Kid wanted to yell at her. Six was daring. But she was also crazy. Jumping from the cage to the cloth was just too much unnecessary risk. Besides, the Kid wanted to screech, it was her fault that the Janitor was now aware of their presence in the room.

As Six continued to look up at him, the Runaway Kid grew more infuriated. As much as he didn't want to, the slot was now their only possible escape route. Even if the Runaway Kid did attempt to make a run for the moving hooks, the boy knew he wouldn't make it. Not when the Janitor was on alert.

Looking back to the Janitor, the Runaway Kid confirmed he was moving away from the cages he was perched upon. The Runaway Kid looked back to Six, who was still looking up at him from upon the cloth. The boy gulped as he knew it was now or never.

He crawled back a bit, to gain more room for momentum. The Runaway Kid knew he had to get his jump right or else-

*clank*

The Runaway Kid cursed as he looked down to his torch that fell unto the cage.  
_'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ ' He chanted mentally as the Kid quickly reached for the item.

The loud clank reached the Janitors ears, and he let out an animalistic sound.

 _'Its now or never!'_ Was the boys thoughts as the Janitor rushed towards him. The Runaway Kid gripped the flashlight, ran and jumped off the cages. He aimed for the sheets of cloth, where Six stood upon. Aimed for the bright white material!

The Runaway Kid landed upon the cloth, relief unlike any other pouring unto him.

'But they weren't safe yet.' As Six reminded him, by gesturing towards the slot. The Janitor was still feeling around the cages for him, straining for any sounds.

"When I find you boy, I'll finally be done with you. You're a thorn in my side! A menace!" He shouted.

The runaway kids both crouched as they slipped through the slot, into the next room.

This was larger room, with filthy metal walls, similar to the cage room. The farthest part of the room was clustered in darkness. However, one noticeable thing that stood out was the large trapdoor in the room, which was illuminated by the light.

And a crank handle lying on the floor.

Six made eye contact with the Kid, and they both understood simultaneously. It didn't take two and two to figure out to fit the handle into the holder to crank the trapdoor open. The Runaway Kid crouched towards the handle, not risking to walk with the Janitor in the room next door. There was still a chance of him hearing them, and coming through that huge door that connected the two rooms.

The Runaway Kid gripped the crank handle, and brought it towards Six who was already at the long wooden post where the crank was to fit into. Six took the crank and fit it into the crank holder.

Making sure it was secure, Six gave a nod to the Kid. The pair gripped the handle together, and began to crank. And as soon as they cranked, a large creaking sound echoed in the room. The creaking sound of the trapdoor opening.

"Maybe the Janitor didn't hear it?" The Runaway Kid tried to sound hopeful as he and Six continued to crank.

At the sound of the Janitors familiar animalistic screech, the Runaway Kid knew he had been too hopeful.

"Keep cranking." Six ordered as they picked up the pace. The Runaway Kid would have retorted to that, if their lives weren't in the balance. Would have retorted that if she had followed his instructions, they wouldn't be here cranking for their lives.

The trapdoor opened irritatingly slowly, the Runaway Kid clenched his teeth as he winded the crank with all his might.

Then the sound of the door opening reached his ears. And he knew it was time to go.

"Run!" He yelled as he let go of the crank, and ran for the trapdoor. Not caring to see if Six followed or not. He ran for the trapdoor which was already starting to close. Because like everything else in The Maw, nothing is ever easy.

After awhile, he could feel Six's presence at his back, and they sprinted for their saving exit. Their saving exit which was rapidly closing. _'Just a few more steps!'_

"Get back here you BRATS!!!" Roger yelled in complete anger. The Runaway Kid could feel presence of the tips of his fingers, reaching for his back.  
_'No! Not again! Never again!'_ The Kid jumped for the trapdoor, with Six sliding behind him. The Janitors fingers barely brushed against her raincoat.

Roger hollered in anger as the two runaway kids slipped into the trapdoor, and fell into an air duct.

The Runaway Kid landed on his knees, a pile of shoes cushioning his fall. He stood just in time, as Six landed in the duct beside him.

The Runaway Kid panted, trying to calm down from the adrenaline rush. Six seemed to be trying to catch her breath as well. She was slumped against the side of the duct, blocking the only exit out of the metal tunnel.

Immediately, the Runaway Kid felt the familiar anger surge within him. "What in the world were you thinking back there?!" He managed to rasp harshly.

Six looked towards him, her hood still obscuring the top of her face.

"I told you to follow my every movement! And what did you do?! You went off on your own!" The Runaway Kid exclaimed, his temper getting a hold of him. Six said nothing as she continued to stare at him.

"You endangered both out lives, all because of your own stupidity! And now we're both still stuck in the Lair, which I'm not that familiar with, our only-"

"A warning could have helped avoid this scenario." Six cut the Runaway Kid off cooly.

".......What?" The Kid questioned after a pause.

Six turned towards him with a challenging stance. "If you had warned me about the creaky floorboards, then I would have avoided them." The Runaway Kid opened his mouth to retort, but Six wasn't done talking.

"If I had avoided them, we wouldn't have have to take this alternative route. Right about now, we could have been on those moving hooks." She stated firmly, as it was a fact.

As much as he was angered, the Kid knew that Six had a point. Not that he was gonna admit that, and apologize. Heck no. Opting to huff, the Runaway Kid leaned against the side of the duct, folding his arms.

"Well, are we going to move on?" He questioned harshly.

Six said nothing, and turned towards the only exit behind her. Climbing up to go through into the gloom. A flash, and she had lit her lighter, continuing to travel through the duct.

The Runaway Kid groaned.

He was starting to regret offering his help to this girl. He wondered, could there have been an alternative choice? Could he have been able to find another way to escape, despite being trapped in a cage? Did he really need the help of this girl?

"Are you planning to follow?" Six's question reached his ears, her voice echoing off the metal walls of the air shaft.

The Runaway Kid reluctantly follow, despite the many regrets he had now.

There was no turning back after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Guys I really just got lost for this story! But thanx to ur comments for helping me find my way!


	3. Tag in The Lair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Runaway Kid and Six are now beginning their escape from The Lair.  
> And playing tag with monsters is certainly not how they wanted things to go!

It was dark, and murky in the waters.

No matter where he swam, the bottom of The Depths still remained unseen.

The Runaway Kid continued to swim in the water, the familiar stench filling his nose. Some part of him recognized this place. Remembered how this was all going to play out.

The Kid searched desperately for a floating suitcase. His one salvation in this endless water. The Runaway would let himself get caught. He found the suitcase, a few meters away from him. The Kid swam desperately for the suitcase, his exhausted body heaving in rapid breaths. He wouldn't let history repeat. Not agai-!

Water engulfed him, and the Runaway Kid was pulled into the water. The familiar feeling of chilliness of water pricked at his skin, as he struggled to fight the grip of the monster who held his leg. The Runaway Kid glanced below him to the expected haggard creature.

But the sight that met his eyes wasn't that of the unsightly, ghastly Granny.

No.

Instead, the Runaway Kid saw a large hood. A large yellow hood obscuring the creatures - No. Six's face!

Her small pale hand gripped his leg with a death grip. One he questioned was even possible with how scrawny she was. The boy tried to pull put of her grip, but she didn't loosen her hand one bit. In fact, if anything, her grip got tighter.

An increasing pressure in his lungs reminded him of another problem. Air. He needed air. The Runaway Kid directed an infuriating glare at Six. He had fought so hard to survive The Maw all this time. If Six got in his way, he wouldn't hesitate to fight back.

Before the Runaway Kid could attack her, to get her _hand off his leg_ , Six moved.

The Runaway Kid looked at her face which had gotten closer to his leg, and saw Six opening her mouth.

Revealing fangs......sharp, intimidating fangs....  
The Runaway Kid froze in horror. Those fangs definitely weren't human fangs. They seemed to come straight out of a horror book, the image of various sharp teeth lining her jaw.

Six tipped her head back, giving the Kid a slight view of her eyes. A gleeful smile spread on her face. For a moment, the Kid swore he saw a glimmer of something horrifying in her eyes. Something inhuman. A mist of darkness that wasn't of this world.

Before he could do anything, Six sprung for him.

He only had a full view of her intimating fangs, before every thing went black.

* * *

Gasping out of fear, the Runaway Kid awoke.

He sat up, his breathing rapid, heart thumping. He quickly searched for her. The one who had been in his dream. Who had....  
The Runaway Kid's gaze settled on the child in her raincoat, who was laying at the edge of a huge brown suitcase.

The Runaway Kid was settled on the other end of the suitcase, observing Six who was turning away from him. Six moved slightly with each breath she took. Easy, steady breaths.  
Though, the Kid couldn't say the same for his raging heartbeat. It took a few seconds for him to settle.

The Runaway Kid looked over the small space they were now situated in. The place where they had decided to rest a bit.

After gaining some distance in the air ducts, the eventually came to a large spacing between the iron pipes. The bottom of the space was filled with shallow puddles of water. They came to this small clearing, and decided to rest upon the suitcase. There were also a number of shoes riddled around the area. Many were in the duct they had just traveled through. Large shoes which neither could fit, even if they wanted them.

Just previously, Six had narrowly avoided getting hit on the head by a falling shoe. It had fallen down a connecting air duct. Though the Runaway Kid wished the shoe _had_ hit her.

A small lantern, in the corner of the clearing, blazed brightly. Six had lit it with her lighter, a small light source in the gloom.

He shivered, the cold air prickling at his skin. It didn't help that his clothes were still damp from The Depths. The Boy hunched into a ball, trying to warm himself as best he could. The Runaway Kid's attention went back to Six. Whom still slept quietly.

That was a strange nightmare he had. Unlike the usual one of his encounter with the Granny, this one had Six taking the old lady's place.

Perhaps the nightmare meant nothing. Maybe the boys thoughts of Six had gotten entangled with his dreamscape. Maybe that was why.

Yet something still tugged at his mind.

The Runaway Kid found himself too alert to sleep, and instead sat to think about his current situation. His rubbed his arms in effort to create heat.

His thoughts went back to the agreement he had made with Six. From the start, the Runaway Kid didn't like it. Well, other than the fact he had lied to Six about knowing the structure of the outside world, he didn't like working with someone else in the first place. The Runaway Kid had always been a solo-worker. Working by himself so he wouldn't be dragged down by others.

Which is why working together with this girl was new to him. And rather annoying as just prior to this, Six had _ignored_ his instructions, and put both their lives in danger. So maybe he could have given her a warning, but the fact still remained that she didn't listen to him. And now, here they were, still trapped in the Lair.

If she was going to be ignoring his instructions throughout this journey, the Runaway Kid definitely wouldn't regret ditching her later on.

Glancing at the air duct, the only possible exit, thoughts of leaving that instant formed in his mind.

_'Perhaps....I could just-'_

"You're not tired?"

The Runaway Kid jerked in surprise at the sudden speech. He glanced back to Six who was now turned towards him, her figure alert and awake.

"Ye-Yeah." The Kid managed to say, still surprised. "Just.....thinking on some things."

Six regarded him for awhile. Then spoke. "Would you prefer we head out now?"

The Runaway Kid contemplated on the idea. "No." He shook his head. "I'd...rather rest a bit more."

Six only nodded, before turning back to her edge of the suitcase.

The Runaway Kid lay down on his edge as well, but this time, he faced Six's back. Wrapping his arms around himself to retain as much heat that he could.

The nightmare he just had was still fresh in his mind, the strong grip of her hand lingering on his leg. As the Runaway Kid watched Six, the inhuman thing he saw in her eyes came back to his mind. The Runaway Kid had a bad feeling about this girl. He wasn't sure why, but he always trusted his gut feeling. It's what kept him alive all this time in The Maw.

The Runaway Kid didn't trust this girl. Not one bit.

The issue the Runaway Kid currently faced, and the image of large intimidating fangs, lingered on his mind as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

When he awoke, Six was already awake. She was sitting cross-legged on the suitcase, staring at him. Like that wasn't unnerving.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

The Runaway Kid nodded, his bangs of black hair covering his eyes. Having hair covering his eyes could be a hassle at times. But Six had her upper-face covered, so why should he show his upper-face?

The pair moved to the air duct, crawling to travel through the narrow space. Six led the way with her lighter, illuminating the area around her. There were also shoes scattered along the duct they traveled through.

After awhile, dim light seemed to be shining from the other end of the duct.

"What's up ahead?" The Kid asked in a hushed whisper, as he couldn't see ahead of Six.

Six said nothing. Slightly irritated at the lack of response, the Runaway Kid tried to peer over her frame. Then she jumped forwards. And fell into a room. The Runaway Kid crawled forwards, coming closer to the exit of the duct.

Surprise spread over his facials.

Shoes. It was a huge shoe pit. No wonder they had passed by so many shoes in the air ducts.

The Runaway Kid looked down to Six, who had landed on a large suitcase within the mass of multiple shoes. He jumped down, landing on the suitcase. The Kid observed their surroundings once more. There were multiple debris among the countless shoes. Other suitcases, boxes, and the boy was sure he saw a chair as well. Some parts of the room was dark, yet some were brightened with dim lighting.

However, at the end of the shoe dump, the pair easily spotted it. A large, open door. It seemed that was their exit out of here.

Six peered down at the shoe pit, leaning over the edge of the suitcase. The Runaway kid peered down with her. "Is it deep?"

Six climbed down the suitcase into the mass of shoes. Still holding onto the suitcase, she eased herself into the pit. After a moment, the shoe level rising to her chest, Six stood. "I can feel the ground. We should be able to walk across." She explained, using her same monotonous voice.

The Runaway Kid started to follow her, before freezing. (Both due to realization, and the fact he was still cold from his damp clothes.) He had a sense of familiarity, looking at the shoe pit. It reminded him too much of The Depths, and his encounter with the Granny.

Swimming frantically within the gloom, unable to see the bottom, not knowing what dwells beneath....

Shaking those thoughts aside, the Runaway Kid jumped into the pit. He was taller than Six, so the shoes came to just beneath his chest. Giving a nod, the two began wading through the sea of shoes. It slowed them down tremendously, but neither wanted to slip and fall into the shoes. It would cause too much of a hassle to get up again.

The lighting in the room was strangely focused on certain objects. Like the huge suitcase that wasn't too far ahead of them. The room had a oppressive atmosphere too him. It appeared to have no threats, but nothing was easy in The Maw. The pair continued to wade, almost reaching the suitcase floating in the sea of shoes. Well they wouldn't _need_ to climb it, they could just-

A moment later, and the Runaway Kid heard it.

A loud rumbling noise. As though something were causing a huge havoc. Similar to the tantrums he'd heard from the younger children in the Nursery, but this sounded more chaotic. As though someone was throwing things around.

The two kids looked back to what caused the commotion.

"What is that?" The Runaway Kid breathed.

They couldn't see _what_ was causing it, but the pair could easily discern the path of flying shoes. As though something beneath the surface were hurling them around.

And that something was headed right to them.

Memories instantly flashed through the Runaway Kid's mind. Falling into the Depths, the chilliness of the water, the feeling of the Granny's gras-

"Move." Six ordered harshly. The one word snapped the Kid out of his thoughts.

The Runaway Kid hastily followed after Six, who was headed towards the suitcase. Their salvation in this shoe pit. The Runaway Kid moved as fast as he could, the countless shoes in his way slowing him down. He grit his teeth. _'This is so frustrating!'_

He caught up to Six, and the two kids aimed for the suitcase. The loud rumbling noise catching up to them.  
The Runaway Kid gulped as he felt the ominous presence behind him. One that felt vaguely familiar.

The two reached the suitcase, and wasted no time in climbing onto it. They perched on the suitcase to catch their breaths. The Runaway Kid looked aghast at the chaos of shoes which crept closer to their safe suitcase. If that monster hit straight into them, turning the suitcase over-

A small thud shook the suitcase. But the suitcase didn't flip, the force not strong enough to throw them off.  
The Runaway Kid loosed a sigh of relief. At least........whatever _that_ was, wasn't capable of throwing them off. Well......at least he hoped so.

The boy scoffed at his thoughts. Hope. Such a mocking desire.

The Runaway Kid stood up warily, still peering into the sea of shoes for what lay beneath the surface. He shouldn't let down his guard yet. "What in The Maw was that?" The Runaway Kid breathed, still shaken. And still trying to catch his breath. Six breathed heavily as well. "I'm not sure." She managed to rasp.

The pair looked at the shoe dump once more, although it now had a new light to it. They observed the pit with alertness and wariness. Other than the suitcase they were on, there other large debris they could climb onto in this Shoe Pit that seemed too vast now. The large suitcases were safe zones to evade the danger of the creature beneath the surface of the shoes. The Runaway Kid peered into the shoe pit warily. Six pointed out to a large suitcase, floating amongst the shoes. It was the closest place that they could climb to be safe.

Yep. This place reminded him too much of The Depths. They would have to rush between large debris to be safe from the chaser beneath.

"Its going to be like tag." The Runaway Kid huffed.

Six stared at him.

"What?" The Runaway Kid questioned. Six said nothing in response, but only tilted her head. She seemed to be staring at him intently, and a shiver went up the boys spine.

The image of fangs flashed in his mind.

"What's 'tag'?" She asked.

The Runaway Kid facepalmed at her. _'Is she serious?'_

"Tag....uh..." The Kid thought on it. "Tag is a-" He started, but remembered the situation they were in. "Thi-This isn't really the situation to explain 'tag'. I think we should be more focused on what is moving down _there_ , and how can we avoid it." The Runaway Kid emphasized, pointing into the shoe dump.

Six said nothing and faced the next suitcase they would have to rush for. The Runaway Kid got up to stand beside her.

"We run at the same time for the suitcase. After reaching that suitcase, we can run for that suitcase." Six explained, pointing at the closer suitcase, then the one located near the door. The Runaway Kid nodded in understanding.

"I think we should run at the same time. If we were to go one by one, the......creature could easily catch which ever one of us goes second." She went on to say. The Runaway Kid nodded. "I agree. We don't know how fast that thing can move. Making a dash for the farther suitcase would be too risky." He mused. The Kid looked back to Six. "We run for the closest suitcase then." He agreed.

The pair wasted no time in taking their dashing stances, putting some space between the edge of the suitcase. A bit of room to run for momentum. They both took steady breaths, readying themselves for the rushing they would have to endure.

"Ready?" Six asked. The boy nodded.

The pair then ran forward. And so began the game of tag with a shoe monster.

* * *

Six leapt from the suitcase, the Runaway Kid close beside her.

Unsurprisingly, they didn't land on the next suitcase. But they were aware of that. The two couldn't reach the suitcase with the distance between the suitcases.

Six and the Runaway Kid felt the bottom of the pit and rushed for the suitcase. Behind them, a familiar sound of chaotic pursuing resounded. Both children dared not look behind themselves. Not until they reached the suitcase. Six moved as fast as she could, the countless shoes slowing them both down.

Six disregarded the fact of how familiar the situation felt. It brought back memories she’d prefer to bury back in the dump it formed from.

The suitcase was just before her, and Six reached out, though the Runaway Kids’ longer arm gripped the suitcase before she did. Both runners gripped the suitcase and climbed upon the safe zone. The chaser beneath the shoes hit the suitcase with a slight thud, but didn’t move to hit them off.

Six supposed that was one blessing in this shoe pit.

The two wheezed slightly, despite the distance not being too far, the pressure of life or death was enough to get their hearts pumping. Also, the familiar chill that she felt from the bustling creature, let Six know that she didn’t want to get associated with whatever dwelled down there.

Six focused back to the next safe zone they would have to run for. Another large suitcase, located at the higher landing connected to the door. There wasn’t that much room on this suitcase to build momentum. Six wanted to balk at the distance from their current suitcase to the next one. However, she had come this far. Had faced greater foes than the one within this dump.

Six sure as the Lady’s Gaze, wasn’t going to give in now. She turned back to the Runaway Kid who pinned her with an inquiring stance.

 _‘Was I spacing out?’_ Six straightened herself, prepared for the next challenge.

The Runaway Kid turned to challenge their next safe zone.  
“You ready?” He questioned.

Through his tone, though it was quite well-hidden, Six could tell he was questioning her will. _“Was she willing to go through this one last time to be free from this shoe pit?”_ was the question she could hear in his voice.

Clenching her teeth slightly in annoyance, as Six was insulted that he felt she couldn’t go through with this, Six held back the words she wanted to snap back. Opting to nod her head in agreement, Six took the same running stance beside the Kid's.

The Runaway Kid fell into focus, and she did the same. Taking a deep breath, Six cleared her mind of her fears, and uncertainty.  
She would make it. She would escape The Maw.  
She had made a promise after all. Six would fulfill it.

Six lifted her gaze beneath her hood, focused on her goal. That suitcase floating above the sea of shoes.  
“Three. Two. One.”

A sharp intake from the boy beside her, and Six was ready to go.

“Now.”

The pair ran the small distance they could, and leapt into the air. They landed within the pit, and right on time, the monster chased them from behind. Six struggled to increase her speed, doing her best to move the shoes before her out of the way.

“Ah!”

Six cut a glance to beside her, finding the Runaway Kid had stumbled. But he had gotten back to his feet.

Six looked forward, to the suitcase that seemed so close, and yet so distant.

As their pursuer grew closer, again, the familiar sensation traveled up her spine, almost making her shiver. Curiosity and dread filled her. Curiosity at what the creature was, and what form it took. Dread at how dangerous it could be, if felt so similar to the past experiences she had. Six scolded herself, at getting lost in thoughts of the past, her mind coming back to the suitcase before her.

The Runaway Kid was slightly behind her, due to his stumbling, however Six knew the monster was closing in fast on him. Six grabbed the suitcase. Her grip slipped due to her sweat-coated palms.

“Bloody leaches-” Six quickly cursed, her voice hoarse, reaching for the suitcase again.

Six placed her hands on the suitcase firmly, the dark presence of the monster getting stronger. The pressuring presence seeming to take the form of a large, menacing claw, reaching for her, grasping her-

Six pushed with all her might, collapsing forwards on the huge case. However, the Runaway Kid still wasn’t safe, she reminded herself. Six reached back down, her arm stretching towards the boy. He didn’t hesitate, his hand gripped hers' strongly. With what might she could summon, Six pulled him up.

The Runaway Kid jumped – _practically lunged!_ – for the suitcase, the end point of this shoe pit.

He landed harshly on the suitcase before her, the breath of creature disappearing as it hit the side of the suitcase lightly.  
Unsuccessfully. Having not caught either of them.

The two children gasped for air, before the Kid rasped: “I…..wouldn’t take the chance of that…..thi-thing down there – trying to get us…..We should…” He tiredly explained, gesturing to the high flooring beside them.

Six nodded, and the pair exhaustingly climbed up the flooring, unto the large step. Well above the sea of shoes. There, the two caught their breaths. The Runaway Kid was kneeling over, sweat dripping down his face. Six leaned forwards, resting her hands on her knees.

 _‘I have to be wary of my stamina.’_ She reminded herself. _‘I need energy to move around, and energy doesn’t come freely.’_ Six recalled the last time she had desperately needed energy. And that desperation is what caused her to become caught by the Janitor.

So, they rested to catch much needed breath, and calm their racing pulse.

"Y-Yep." The Runaway Kid rasped, breathless. "This shoe pit reminds me too much....of The Depths."

Six raised a brow at him, though he couldn't see it. "What's The Depths?" The boy stood and brushed himself off. "The deepest level of The Maw....almost submerged in water. Also is.... _was_ the home to the Granny."

Six stared at him in confusion. _'Granny? And that word 'was'.....past tense? She no longer dwells there?'_ Curiosity prickled at her senses.

Just as she was about to ask more about this.....Granny, the Runaway Kid spoke: "Let's keep moving. The Janitor could be searching for us right this minute." Six had no objections to that. Her short experiences with the Janitor definitely weren't pleasant.

The pair, having calmed themselves, exited through the open doorway. Six spared the room one last glance, before facing forwards.

As the pair went through the door, recognition filled Six's eyes.

_'This place....'_

Six took in the dim lighting, the metal walls, and the various pipes that ran through the room. On instinct, Six peered upwards, searching for any sign of the long-armed monster. Her gaze then settled on the center of the room, where a small cage had once been. That small cage that had held a small piece of enticing meat within itself.

"What's got you spacing out?" The Runaway Kid questioned.

Six looked at the boy, whom was rubbing his arms. Heard the slight curiosity in his voice. She wasn't obligated to answer. Six wasn't fond of speaking anyway. It just caused unnecessary sound, which in turn, created unnecessary risk of being discovered.

So Six was slightly surprised when she found herself answering. "This is where the Janitor caught me." Replying in her usual monotonous voice. As soon as the words were out, Six moved more quickly, having been in this place before. The Runaway Kid stumbled at the sudden change in pace.

"So you've been here before?" He questioned. "So do you remember the way-"

There was a loud clank, and Six stiffened at the sound. The Runaway Kid cursed with surprise at the closed door behind them. Preventing them from going back.

"It's not as though we were wanting to go back anyway." He muttered. Six looked away, to the stairs leading out of the room. _'If my memory's right, there should an elevator down that path.'_

Six moved towards the stairs. "Follow me." She ordered. The Runaway Kid paused before following after her.

"How did the Janitor catch you?" He asked, and Six was inclined to snap that it was of no importance to him.

"Did he chase you down? Corner you between the Shoe pit and himself? Or, did you try to sneak around, but he still heard you?" The Kid asked question after question. Six's irritation level was rising with each unnecessary question. She said nothing as she started stomping up the stairs, the Runaway Kid hovering behind her.

"Why don't you answer?" He asked.

"Why should I answer?" She countered coolly.

"I'm just curious is all."

"Curiosity can kill you down here."

"I just want to know your situation better."

"We're in the exact same situation."

"Why are you being so stubborn?!"

"Why are you being so persistent?"

Six kept walking till she was at the top of the stairs. Looking ahead, she could make out the soft light of the elevator, so dim in the darkness of hallway. In the background, the sound of whirling fans could be heard. Six wasted no time in making her way towards it. There was no time to waste on stupid curiosity. Every second counted down here.

Six was entering the gloom of the dark path, when behind her, the Runaway Kid halted.  
"Could it be.....you're ashamed that you got captured?

That statement......that really got on Six's nerves, but getting angered wouldn't help their situation. Six huffed as she turned away. "This is a waste of time." Done with the conversation, Six walked towards the elevator. Perhaps bringing this boy along was also a waste of time, but.....

"No it's not. How did you get captured?" The Runaway Kid asked, his irritating voice more louder than needed. "How?"

Six wondered if his questioning was because of curiosity, or mockery.

"Look. I just want to understand-" Six tuned him out, not because she was fed up, but because of the ominous instinct in her gut. Six was instantly alert, the Runaway Kid still yapping in the background. Six looked around the room, searching for the what had her senses uneasy.

 _ **'Look....Listen...'**_ Her instincts sang. And she did.

Then she heard it.

A clatter of iron.

As though something were hitting against iron. Then it repeated.

Six looked upwards. _'It's coming from above.'_ She strained her ears to listen, but the Runaway Kid's continuous babbling made hearing difficult.

"Quiet." Six hissed at him.

"No. See, because _I'm_ attempting to try-" Six cut him off, plastering her palm over his mouth. Six raised a finger to her lips, hoping he'd get the message.

The Runaway Kid looked as though he was about to retort, but seemed to sense the seriousness in her antics. Six used her finger and pointed above, to the loud clanking sounds that seemed to get louder. And closer. The Runaway Kid could at last hear the sounds, and looked above as well. Six felt a shiver go up her spine, and her senses were on edge. She sensed something familiar approaching, but what-

Her thoughts were cut short as icy fear struck her, when the Janitor swooped down from above.

* * *

A second. It took a second for his brain to register what just occurred.

Then he reacted. And ran for his life.

Six spurred into a dash as well, and they both ran away from the monster behind them. There was a beastly shriek. And the sound of rushing footsteps.

_'Rats! He heard them. And he was giving chase.'_

The looming darkness made seeing more difficult. The Runaway Kid barely saw Six slide to avoid a pipe. The Kid, just in time, slid beneath the pipe, almost hitting his head. Quickly collecting himself, he made to follow the raincoat girl, who was moving rather quickly. He followed her down the hallway, towards a room with light within.  
The monster behind them moving threateningly closer.

As they passed the fans, the Janitor slowed down. It seemed the whirling noise of the fans were confusing him. The boy almost tumbled in relief when they finally reached the room.

 _'Wait. Not a room.'_ The boy quickly realized as he took in the appearance of the small platform, consisting of many boxes. _'This is an elevator.'_

He looked back to Six, who was looking up on the elevator wall. At a button, the boy realized. Six was looking around the room hurriedly. As though the Janitor weren't just right outside the door!  
"What are you doing?!" The Runaway Kid hissed at her.

"Looking for something to throw at the button! Or would prefer the Janitor to practically walk in here?! If you're smart, I _suggest_ you help me out!" Six hissed back.

The Runaway Kid blinked. _'Oh......That made sense.'_

Six was now agitated as she had found no small object to throw. The Runaway Kid spared the platform a long sweep, before an idea struck him.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his flashlight. The Kid glanced at Six, whom read the words in his eyes, and gestured to him to hurry up and _throw it._  
The Runaway Kid huffed at her. _'Don't tell me what to do'_ , he wanted to say.

Without hesitation, the Runaway Kid lifted his arm, and threw the torch at the button. His throw was off by a short distance. _'Rats.'_ The boy cursed internally as he went to retrieve the flashlight.

However, the small thud of the torch hitting the wooden boards, proved to be louder than they thought.

"I HEAR YOU, YOU WRETCHED HELLIONS!!!!"

Six turned to the elevator door in fear. She turned back to the Runaway Kid, whom met her gaze as he just grasped the flashlight.

"THROW THAT BLASTED FLASHLIGHT! _NOW!!_ " Six yelled at him, not caring of the volume of her voice. No, she was solely concerned on the Janitor that was charging towards the elevator.

The Runaway Kid felt the rush of urgency, his heartbeat increasing as he gripped the metal contraption in his hand. Six was glancing between him and the Janitor, a lump in her throat.

The Runaway Kid lifted the flashlight over his head. It all depended on him now. All coming down to this throw. The intense pressure came down on the boy. Hard. But he didn't let it stop him from moving. Didn't let hesitation stop him from aiming.

Hurling his hand forwards, the Runaway Kid threw the flashlight towards the button.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By The Maw guys....  
> Sorry it took so long to update. Rats!  
> I need to get my act together.
> 
> AND! If a note follows this one IGNORE IT ONCE MORE! CAUSE IT'S A DAMN NUISANCE THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ERASE!  
> (If someone knows how to fix this problem, please, please, PLEASE tell me....)  
> ........  
> Enjoy your day everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> And there it is....the first chapter...


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